Software company Giant Interactive’s new headquarters by Morphosis Architecture is a dream-like space that curls around a lake several canals. The unusually-shaped buildings incorporate a open floor plan to encourage interaction amongst the employees as well as interaction with the landscape. Like the Sun Moon Lake Center we profiled in Taiwan, this green-roofed gem is as organic as it is structural, and it makes strides to soften the experience of the built environment.

The project’s west campus green roof is what first caught our eye. The greenery helps reduce unwanted heat gain in the sprawling campus through both its thermal mass and evaporative cooling. A double façade and glass curtain wall incorporated into the buildings also helps dramatically reduce exterior heat gain — and thus the amount of energy used for cooling.

The Shanghai campus is linked by a cross-hatched network of glazed walkways that encourage employee interaction and movement. Daylight is another key element to employee health, and the narrow profile of the buildings allows for deep penetration of light, as do the copious skylights that dot the roof. The campus even has a large gym and a pool.

When it’s time to get to work, open-air desks and office spaces facilitate team building and interaction. The executive offices cantilever over the lake like the head of a huge serpent — or a character in one of the company’s videogames.